Pet insurance?
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bluejedi79
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:35 pm
- Location: aberdeen, wa
Pet insurance?
So the last 2 weeks I've been looking into getting pet insurance for Kiki. I am so lost and confused by the choices. Heck, I have a hard enough time understanding human insurance, and insurance for kiki is even..wow!! Where do I begin, what coverage should I get, what are some of the better plans?
A dog is the only Earthly creature that has the soul of a philosopher, the wisdom of the Deli Llama, the heart of an Angel and the grace of a Saint.
Re: Pet insurance?
Check out all the options - it's a lot of research. Talk with the vet receptionist and see which insurances they like best - some are better payers than others. But you can't beat doing your own research.
Here in UK there are a lot of 'bad' insurers, so what I do is cover my dogs for public liability only, and for vet bills I save a bit each month equivalent to the premium. I don't need any other cover. But there may be better options for you.
Here in UK there are a lot of 'bad' insurers, so what I do is cover my dogs for public liability only, and for vet bills I save a bit each month equivalent to the premium. I don't need any other cover. But there may be better options for you.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: Pet insurance?
I have pet insure on my dog. You absolutely have to check the fine print for what they cover and what they don't, how they determine preexisting conditions and how they cover known breed heath weaknesses/genetic issues. Some insurgence will NOT cover known genetic issues. Others will only IF they have not presented yet. Some only have yearly pay out limits, other have lifetime pay out limits. so you got to really pay close attention.
When I researched out which company to go with, NONE of them paid out for basic office visits, yearly wellness check or basic vaccinations and monthly preventative heart worm or flea treatments.
My dog's epilepsy presented before I could get him signed up and even if I had done it the day I got him, he wouldn't have made it out of the waiting period. Zero care/issues related to his epilepsy will ever be covered. which really stinks as blood work to monitor his medication blood levels and liver can get quite expensive.
The deciding factor for me was the company I chose had yearly limits based on policy coverage. I have believe it's around $8000 a year coverage that I signed up for. and that "pool" renews each year when the policy refreshes even if I used all 8000 the year before. There are some companies that let you buy that same 8000 and it's for the life time of the dog. The company I choose also had a great genetic issue policy, if it hasn't presented you get life time coverage once you are past the waiting period at sign up and maintain your premiums.
Pet insurance really needs to be looked at as "what if my dog gets cancer" or "what if my dog gets hit by a car" that kind of thing. just about any other minor issue you can save up each month so you kind of have to think about what you would do in those extreme situations. and if you can afford to pay out premiums on the off chance your dog ends up in one of those situations.
When I researched out which company to go with, NONE of them paid out for basic office visits, yearly wellness check or basic vaccinations and monthly preventative heart worm or flea treatments.
My dog's epilepsy presented before I could get him signed up and even if I had done it the day I got him, he wouldn't have made it out of the waiting period. Zero care/issues related to his epilepsy will ever be covered. which really stinks as blood work to monitor his medication blood levels and liver can get quite expensive.
The deciding factor for me was the company I chose had yearly limits based on policy coverage. I have believe it's around $8000 a year coverage that I signed up for. and that "pool" renews each year when the policy refreshes even if I used all 8000 the year before. There are some companies that let you buy that same 8000 and it's for the life time of the dog. The company I choose also had a great genetic issue policy, if it hasn't presented you get life time coverage once you are past the waiting period at sign up and maintain your premiums.
Pet insurance really needs to be looked at as "what if my dog gets cancer" or "what if my dog gets hit by a car" that kind of thing. just about any other minor issue you can save up each month so you kind of have to think about what you would do in those extreme situations. and if you can afford to pay out premiums on the off chance your dog ends up in one of those situations.
Re: Pet insurance?
even minor things can add up........i spent $6K on a foxtail and about the same on a rattlesnake bite.jacksdad wrote:Pet insurance really needs to be looked at as "what if my dog gets cancer" or "what if my dog gets hit by a car" that kind of thing.
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Dawnflight1984
- Posts: 352
- Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:44 pm
- Location: Singapore
Re: Pet insurance?
Tell me about it... I spent $800 last September just treating a bout of diarrhoea and at least $1.4k just on rashes and itches. There aren't any pet insurances in my country, except for liability insurance and that is tied together with home insurance (because dogs are part of the property). I put aside a few hundred dollars every month and keep a credit card that I do not use at all in case I really need a big sum of money to treat the little girl for anything at all. Hope there's a better alternative in time to come.gwd wrote:even minor things can add up........i spent $6K on a foxtail and about the same on a rattlesnake bite.
Hope you find a good insurance!
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bluejedi79
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:35 pm
- Location: aberdeen, wa
Re: Pet insurance?
Went to pay my renters insurance and car insurance yesterday (same company) and asked them if they did any type of pet insurance. They said they didn't. I'll keep looking. I've got to find something soon. While I am putting up an extra $50 a month and cutting back in other areas for Kiki, she's prone to yeast infections on her rear end.
A dog is the only Earthly creature that has the soul of a philosopher, the wisdom of the Deli Llama, the heart of an Angel and the grace of a Saint.
Re: Pet insurance?
I can't remember if I used this site or not 3 years ago, but this should get you started http://www.petinsurancereview.com/
pet insurance is kind of a specialty right now and you probably won't find any "traditional" insurers offering.
pet insurance is kind of a specialty right now and you probably won't find any "traditional" insurers offering.
Re: Pet insurance?
Insurance won't cover any pre-existing illnesses, so sadly you will still be paying for yeast infection treatment yourself, if she gets it again.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
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ScarletSci
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 3:44 pm
Re: Pet insurance?
This post may be too late since I imagine you have the insurance by now, but just in case you want to review your insurance company when the policy comes up for renewal, I'll add in my own experiences.
Insurance is a gamble by its very nature. Premiums can be a lot, and as Nettle does, sometimes it's worth just putting the money aside and sucking it up if you do get a big vets bill. The reason I've chosen to have insurance on mine is in case they get any long-term illnesses that require regular vet visits and medication.
We've had fairly large bills for a cut pad and a dog attack, but in the hundreds rather than the thousands. The insurance paid out and was good for peace of mind, knowing that we had it before we knew the full extent of the bills. But those bills we would have managed to cover even without the insurance, and the payout certainly didn't exceed the premium.
Where it would have come in very handy was when my parents older cat developed hyperthyroidism. The treatment for that was very expensive, with daily medication and regular blood tests. However it extended her life by 5 years and she had a great quality of life due to the treatment. She wasn't insured, so those treatments added up to a great deal of money. My uncle's dog developed diabetes, which was also very expensive to treat and needed treatment for the lifetime of the dog.
As Jacksdad said, the things to consider when looking at insurance are not so much a broken leg or a bout of sickness (as expensive as those can be) but the potential long term illnesses that will require treatment throughout the dogs life, or least for months rather than weeks. Things like cancer, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and epilepsy. To be covered for those (once the policy has started) you really need to look for lifetime cover. Some insurers will only cover one illness for the period of a year, then you're on your own. With mine for example, I can claim up to £7000 each year for the same condition for the lifetime of the animal. It's the long term conditions that worry me in terms of expense, so the lifetime cover is the most important criteria for me when looking for insurance.
I won't recommend a specific insurance company because it's a long time since I did a comparison between them and things will have changed. I'm sticking with mine because my cat is now 9 and most companies won't take them on for the first time after the age of 8. Bear in mind that the premiums do and will rise, especially when they reach the age of 8. However, once they get to that age they're also at a higher risk for those long term illnesses, but young enough that the illness will likely need treatment for many years. If you have more than one pet, some insurance companies will do a multipet discount (haggle for it!) mine is £5 per month cheaper since dog and cat are both with the same company.
Read the small print carefully. Most insurance is invalid unless the dog has annual health checks, and all preventative treatment is up to date. Those expenses aren't covered by the insurance.
My vets surgery is now offering a health plan that does cover the cost of flea and worm treatments, neutering, microchipping and vaccinations, but it's pretty expensive at £15 a month for a small dog, ON TOP of the pet insurance. Not really worth it except for the first year of life when you need to pay for the first course of vaccines, microchipping and neutering, but even with that I've now not saved any money since I've decided to put off spaying my dog until she's at least two, by which time the policy will have run out.
It's an expensive business, this pet ownership malarky. Good thing they're worth every penny, eh?
Edit: I've just re-read the thread and registered the bit about yeast infections. The insurance companies won't cover it, Nettle is right. You have to tell them about any pre-existing conditions otherwise it's insurance fraud, and knowing about the yeast infection, they might well refuse to cover ANY future skin conditions, whether or not it's actually related to the pre-existing one. Check very carefully what they will and won't cover before you sign up!
Insurance is a gamble by its very nature. Premiums can be a lot, and as Nettle does, sometimes it's worth just putting the money aside and sucking it up if you do get a big vets bill. The reason I've chosen to have insurance on mine is in case they get any long-term illnesses that require regular vet visits and medication.
We've had fairly large bills for a cut pad and a dog attack, but in the hundreds rather than the thousands. The insurance paid out and was good for peace of mind, knowing that we had it before we knew the full extent of the bills. But those bills we would have managed to cover even without the insurance, and the payout certainly didn't exceed the premium.
Where it would have come in very handy was when my parents older cat developed hyperthyroidism. The treatment for that was very expensive, with daily medication and regular blood tests. However it extended her life by 5 years and she had a great quality of life due to the treatment. She wasn't insured, so those treatments added up to a great deal of money. My uncle's dog developed diabetes, which was also very expensive to treat and needed treatment for the lifetime of the dog.
As Jacksdad said, the things to consider when looking at insurance are not so much a broken leg or a bout of sickness (as expensive as those can be) but the potential long term illnesses that will require treatment throughout the dogs life, or least for months rather than weeks. Things like cancer, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and epilepsy. To be covered for those (once the policy has started) you really need to look for lifetime cover. Some insurers will only cover one illness for the period of a year, then you're on your own. With mine for example, I can claim up to £7000 each year for the same condition for the lifetime of the animal. It's the long term conditions that worry me in terms of expense, so the lifetime cover is the most important criteria for me when looking for insurance.
I won't recommend a specific insurance company because it's a long time since I did a comparison between them and things will have changed. I'm sticking with mine because my cat is now 9 and most companies won't take them on for the first time after the age of 8. Bear in mind that the premiums do and will rise, especially when they reach the age of 8. However, once they get to that age they're also at a higher risk for those long term illnesses, but young enough that the illness will likely need treatment for many years. If you have more than one pet, some insurance companies will do a multipet discount (haggle for it!) mine is £5 per month cheaper since dog and cat are both with the same company.
Read the small print carefully. Most insurance is invalid unless the dog has annual health checks, and all preventative treatment is up to date. Those expenses aren't covered by the insurance.
My vets surgery is now offering a health plan that does cover the cost of flea and worm treatments, neutering, microchipping and vaccinations, but it's pretty expensive at £15 a month for a small dog, ON TOP of the pet insurance. Not really worth it except for the first year of life when you need to pay for the first course of vaccines, microchipping and neutering, but even with that I've now not saved any money since I've decided to put off spaying my dog until she's at least two, by which time the policy will have run out.
It's an expensive business, this pet ownership malarky. Good thing they're worth every penny, eh?
Edit: I've just re-read the thread and registered the bit about yeast infections. The insurance companies won't cover it, Nettle is right. You have to tell them about any pre-existing conditions otherwise it's insurance fraud, and knowing about the yeast infection, they might well refuse to cover ANY future skin conditions, whether or not it's actually related to the pre-existing one. Check very carefully what they will and won't cover before you sign up!
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jodieohdoh
- Posts: 110
- Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:17 pm
Re: Pet insurance?
I would look for:
- lifetime coverage
- a decent annual maximum claim limit
- clear, concise terms and conditions
- watch out for extra charges in the t&c - often there is co-insurance in addition to the excess (deductible). That will be a familiar concept for Americans because it features in their medical insurance but possibly not to others! Basically often the plan will only pay a % of a bill and you need to pay the rest (as well as the excess). It's not such a bad idea as long as the premium you're paying reflects it.
I would also consider speaking to a broker for advice - they might be able to help you navigate the vagaries of the subject. I've gone for Vets Medicover (in the UK) but I can't yet endorse them as I've yet to claim. The coverage appears to be excellent but it's very pricy at £28 a month for a border collie. I was pleased with heir customer service on the phone when I was looking at taking out the plan, though.
- lifetime coverage
- a decent annual maximum claim limit
- clear, concise terms and conditions
- watch out for extra charges in the t&c - often there is co-insurance in addition to the excess (deductible). That will be a familiar concept for Americans because it features in their medical insurance but possibly not to others! Basically often the plan will only pay a % of a bill and you need to pay the rest (as well as the excess). It's not such a bad idea as long as the premium you're paying reflects it.
I would also consider speaking to a broker for advice - they might be able to help you navigate the vagaries of the subject. I've gone for Vets Medicover (in the UK) but I can't yet endorse them as I've yet to claim. The coverage appears to be excellent but it's very pricy at £28 a month for a border collie. I was pleased with heir customer service on the phone when I was looking at taking out the plan, though.
Re: Pet insurance?
true, and a good insurance will still give you coverage in these situations. a couple years ago Jack got into my son's girlfriends purse (they left his bedroom door opengwd wrote:even minor things can add up........i spent $6K on a foxtail and about the same on a rattlesnake bite.jacksdad wrote:Pet insurance really needs to be looked at as "what if my dog gets cancer" or "what if my dog gets hit by a car" that kind of thing.
) and ate 4 or 5 dark chocolate bars. that resulted in a $2000 bill and an over night in the vet hospital. my insurgence company didn't even bat an eye, they covered it minus the deductible. I would consider a rattlesnake bite along the same lines as a "get hit by a car".
I have what is probably considered the best pet insurance (or was when I signed up) there is. as long as I keep up the premiums, Jack can have I believe it's $8000 of coverage a year, reset every year for life. there are two more levels of coverage above this. they even cover genetic issues provided they were not presenting at time of signing up.Nettle wrote:Insurance won't cover any pre-existing illnesses, so sadly you will still be paying for yeast infection treatment yourself, if she gets it again.
Unfortunately his epilepsy presented before I could get him signed up and through the waiting period. So that they are the best, have amazing coverage etc is irrelevant. all his meds, blood work etc related to his epilepsy is out of pocket and it can get SUPER expensive when you do the blood work.
getting pet insurance like many things is a buyer beware, read the find print, do your research, ask lots of questions endeavor. getting the right coverage/company can be a LIFE saver. I still haven't spent more in premiums than claims.
